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The sound of the beeping from the PDA broke the eerie silence while they were working, and in a way he was focusing more on those beeps than what could be lurking in the shadows. Kenzie and Elena's help was gladly welcomed and while they were mapping the area he could still feel a sense of unease from the thought of Nick and Roman out there, even more if another ambush could happen and they would be overwhelmed.

“Professor…I think I might have something up ahead, about four paces and two paces to the right.”

Perfect! I think this is a good spot to go

Taking out his blaster and switching it into sword mode, he made an X shape in the middle after feeling the structure a bit. An old habit from his Archaeological days is to always search for the perfect spot to use the pickax or any blunt instrument before breaking in, just in case the structure is weak enough to bring more than the patch of wall and cause something to fall on their heads. After switching it back to blaster mode he stepped back a bit.

Alright, i think this should do it. Focus on the X there and concentrate the blast. That should give us an opening to where they could have headed to.

“Hey Professor, you …they are okay right?”

Of course they are OK, but it is our job to make sure they continue to be, after all, we all make this team the force the De-Volians fear and it is because of them as well as you all that it is possible. Hope and trust are the last things we can never lose, and as always, i trust both them and you.

Now what do you say we release all this tension and bring this patch out?

On my mark...FIRE!

The three blasts connected and opened a new path for them, and as they entered new beeps began emitting from the PDA.

Two beeps, close by, that should be them...

And then suddenly more beeps began emitting

Oh...this is not good...Not good at all...

We must hurry!

Giving instructions to Elena and Kenzie, Alejandro began to head to where the two Rangers could be, before the other "beeps" get to them.

The fight raged on. Hard, intense strikes. Neither one of the two were holding back. It was almost as if the other ranger was the enemy. Anyway, it was impossible for Roman to keep up with the time. After everything had settled, they both sat there, breathing heavily. The silence was deafening. They didn't meet the other person's eye. Nick was the first to speak.

"A mistake...." was all Nick grumbled looking down at his dino gem and morpher. Me being Red Ranger... is a mistake..." he spat out blood. Roman looked up from the ground and watched Nick intently.

"I get it... I'm not a great leader... the fate of the world is literally hanging in the balance and here I am in a dark cave... fighting someone who is supposed to be my ally..."

Nick glanced up for a bit before looking back down, but he had caught Roman's eye before he did. There's no telling what passed between the two of them in that split second. Roman's face was blank, his mind was racing though. He was determined to stay mad at the red ranger no matter how much the boy confessed.

"When we fought Hypnowl... and he trapped me in my dreams... I saw my grandmother... and every Red Ranger before me... and they have this foolish Idea that me... and you guys have what it takes to stop Rex and his army. And there are times where I believe it... but other times I can't help but think the gem made a mistake."

Roman shook his head. Thankful that he wasn't the recipetent of Hypnowl's attack. It took a strong person to fight out of something like that.

"Roman... you should've been Red Ranger... you have the training... the discipline. You're much better suited... but me? The only reason I'm even still around is because of all of you."

Roman blinked. Surprised to hear Nick say something like that. If he was being honest, Roman had thought the same thing on countless occassions. He would often curse and wonder what was it about Nick or what was it about the dino gems that really thought he was worthy of being red and Roman worthy of black. Nick was right. Roman had the discipline, the training, the leadership experience. But, there was a huge difference between the two. And Roman was just starting to see it.

"You wanna know the truth... I'm afraid... when Berseker had The Professor in his hands... I was helpless. Then Kenzi appeared and saved the day... when we were attacked by those weird vampire creatures... That Kamen Rider saved the day. I'm afraid that I'll make the wrong call or I won't be able to help you guys and Rex wins."

Nick sighed and looked away into the distance, making sure nott o make eye contact with Roman. He was vulnerable and though it was a leap of faith to admit the things he did, he didn't want to look Roman in the eyes because that was going even further and being even more vulnerable. Something he didn't appear ready for.

Roman got to his feet, cursing all the while. There was a sharp pain in his ribs. It was stupid of them to fight, especially with the Devolians lurking around. Roman was surprised they hadn't heard a thing. Roman was alos still pissed. He didn't get over things quickly. And he wouldn't readily admit, but he liked being angry. It gave him more of an edge. A chip on his shoulder. A reason to fight.

"Not fair." He said with his back to Nick. "Just so you know, I'm still angry at you."

Roman proceeded to pace around the cave. "I ever tell you the reason I joined the Navy SEALs? Following in my father's footsteps... He was a career man. And yes, he's exactly like you picture him. Real hardass. A man's man, as they say. Everything that I am today, I am because I wanted to make him happy. I dated the kinds of girls I thought he would, I played sports because that's what he wanted. Hell, I even went to war because I thought it was what he would do. But, there came a point where I realized that I could never make him happy. So, it stopped being about trying to make him happy. Instead, it was about being better than him. Being a better SEALs than him. Better man. Better father."

Roman leaned against the cave wall and turned to see if Nick was still listening.

"But, maybe I'll never do that, ya know? Maybe I'll never be better than him..." Roman took a deep breath. "I do reckless shit... because that's who I am. That's who I've always been. I do reckless shit because some times I think you guys would be better off without me. I do reckless shit because some times I think the world would be better without me. If I die in service of something greater than so be it, ya know? It'd be worth it. It'd be a good death."

Roman pushed himself off the wall and paced around some more. "But, here's the thing that I try to remind myself, and some times when the pain isn't too much, some times on my better days, it does help... what I try to remember is... you will never be ready." Roman smiled slightly. "You will never be ready... until you are. All it is, is a leap of faith. And -"

Before Roman could finish the cave exploded! Rocks and everything started to crash down all around them and in all the chaos, Roman could make out the figure of Blastaur and his squad of pawn raptors.

“Perfect! I think this is a good spot to go.” The professor responded and nodding in agreement with his assessment,Kenzie’s hand grasped her blaster, aiming at the X he’d marked. The next words hespoke, Kenzie heard but no response fell from her. She was focused on the taskat hand and was itching to get out of the enclosed space. Rocks fell around them,Kenzie stepping on and over fallen debris. She blinked, adjusting to the light…lookingover her shoulder, marking Elena at her back. Two beeps…sounded from the PDAand then more beeps. Kenzie tilted her head slightly in the professor’sdirection but found herself picking up pace…when he moved forward.

“We must hurry!” That phrase…lit a fire into Kenzie and she found herselftrailing a beat behind the professor…one hand on her dino morpher. Ready tomorph at any given notice, Elena’s footfall changed from what she could here. Gonewas the silent steps, in their place had become the heavy…running with purpose.Kenzie wasn’t a stranger to that run…she’s found herself using that type of runmore as of late. She was itching for battle, and there wasn’t doubt in hermind, that any of them would hold back against the pawn raptors , or anycreature they faced. The time had long past for them toying with them, too muchblood, carnage had been caused. She was unforgiving in her judgement, that thosewho sided with Rex had signed their death warrants…the one thing in her lifeshe was certain of…it didn’t phase her to play executioner.

Nick listened intently as Roman began revealing a bit about himself. This was the first time the two had actually shared a conversation with meaning. Nick was learning a lot about his team member and pieces of his past. Roman let him have to floor so it was only right that Nick let Roman Speak.

Just when Roman was finishing his last thought, an explosion was heard as rocks came down all around the two Rangers. Nick bobbed and weaved avoiding major rocks as Blastaur and his pawn Raptors made their way through the rubble. "I knew I smelled rangers near! Rex will reward me handsomely for your heads!"

Raptors swarmed in as Nick rushed forward with a bicycle kick to the face of one dropping it instantly. He side stepped a slash from another and gave it a fierce rising knee to the chest Area. Blastaur grabbed at the young ranger and threw him several feet back crashing into the rocky walls of the cave. He collapsed down before blastaur stomped down onto his back and kicked him away back over to Roman.

"Ugh... this isn't good..." he slowly got to his feet before feeling the rumbling before but it was more intense this time. In fact... it felt as if the source was making it's way to them.

The trek there was filled with anguish, and uncertainty of what to expect, the atmosphere did not help either. The warning beeps were growing as they made their way closer to where Nick and Roman could be, a positive thing if there were only two beeps, but with the emergence of more it could mean danger.

Alejandro, Elena and Kenzie were getting close to their objective and decided to put their PDAs on silence mode as to not alert the assailants of their presence, as it seemed they were reaching the objective. They could notice steps and in the distance, a sign of battle. Were they not in time? What could be happening to the two Rangers? All these questions filled Alejandro with a sense of dread. But right now he needed to be cool headed as to be the interim leader for the others.

Signaling to stay close and to make light moves, he showed them to where the beeps began to converge. It was a lit place that seemed to be made recently. They leaned close to the wall and could hear the hisses and grunts the Pawn Raptors made. But as they would see later, something else was with them. Standing between them and the horde was a Duke Raptor that seemed to be creating these crevices. With some grunts and movements from the claws, the Duke Raptor dug deeper into the cave, not caring for what could happen as small tremor began to shake all around.

Kneeling to where the two girls where, Alejandro began to formulate a plan.

Ugly over there seems to be causing the new tunnels here, and if not stopped it could bring this section of the cave on top of us. They seem to be standing between us and the others, so we need to get past them. By my calculations they should get past this spot in a few seconds, we can get the advantage by attacking them when they least expect it. Fast attacks, hit-and-run style can work in this close quarters.

Taking out his blaster he signaled at the others that whenever they are ready, the attack would commence.

From the ground, Roman looked up to see Blastaur and his henchmen entering through the hole in the cave wall. He tried to rise to his feet, but immediately winced when a pain shot up his abdomen. Nick tried admirably to fight the them off by himself, but he was unsuccessful as a blow from one of the raptors sent him tumbling down to the ground next to Roman.

"Ugh... this isn't good..."

Roman ignored Nick for the moment. There was something about Blastaur's entrance that had been bugging him.

"We. Were having. A conversation!"

Now, Roman stumbled to his feet, his hand attending to the pain in his ribs.

"How... rude."

Roman grabbed the firearm from his holster, preparing himself to make a stand. But, suddenly they felt an intense rumbling. Roman and Nick shared a look.

He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Roman grabbed Nick, aimed his blaster at Blastaur and fired a few shots while on the move. Okay, well, Roman wasn't aiming per say. He was really just firing in their general direction, laying down cover fire for him and Nick to put some distance between themselves and their enemies.

They rounded a corner and put their banks against it, breathing heavily. This time, Blastaur sent the pawn raptors to do his dirty work. Roman converted his blaster into sword mode. As the first pawn raptor started to round the corner, Roman dropped low and used the blade to cut the sinewy flesh of the raptor's leg. It let out a guttaral scream of agony and feel to the ground clutching the area behind its knee... do raptors have knees? Hmm...

Roman then charged towards the next group of raptors. He leapt in the air and kicked the lead raptor in the chest and bounced off of it, enabling him to do a little spin the air. On his way down, he caught the next raptor with another kick and then followed up with a slash from his sword.

Nick watched as Roman fired shots at the raptors then rushed in doing battle. Nick provided cover fire but the rumbling was intensifying as their battle ensued. Just then Nick's dino gem began to glow a bit as he looked over to Roman who surely would be experiencing the same. Nick hurried over to Roman giving a vicious knee to the gut of a Raptor then pushed it over onto its back. He placed a hand on Roman's shoulder. "Look... we gotta get moving... and find the others." Just as he finished his sentence Blastaur approached chuckling evilly.

"Pathetic Rangers... I have you right where I want you... Lord Rex will reward me handsomely for the destruction of the Red and Black Rangers... Berserker will be upset that I took his glory of you Red... but that's a small price to pay..." The monster's hands began to glow with energy as Roman and Nick prepared for the worst. Just then the rumbling was so great and earth shaking that Blastaur fell onto his bottom. Nick looked behind him raising an eyebrow then realized something. "Roman move!!!!" Nick quickly tackled Roman just in time as the wall of rock behind them bursted open sending debris flying at Blastaur who stared on in awe as a giant Zord took the place of where the wall once was.

"Is that a..."

His thought immediately cut off by the Zord's Roar which undoubtedly would be heard throughout the entire cave. Blautaur scuffled around trying to stand and succeeded as he quickly turned to retreat. The Zord looked at the two Rangers and tilted its head as if analyzing them. It then returned it's attention to the running Blastaur and got ready to charge.

The plan was well executed (well is stretching it out a bit, the correct way to put is is "as long as they don't get pummeled is OK in his book"). The three Rangers began attacking the horde of Raptors and the Duke Raptor with quick evasive attacks as to keep them on their foot and for once, using the close surroundings to their advantage. With every hit they would slow down their advance and they would get closer to where Nick and Roman were, at least that was the first part of the plan, the second part would come to them once they reach that goal.

The Raptors were falling down one by one until a few of them were in between them and the Duke leading the charge. Unfortunately this type of monster had an advantage they did not foresee in the rush of battle: Night Vision. Once the Raptors were taken care of and the space between them allowed it to attack normally it began to lunge towards the Rangers. Without the element of surprise with their flurry the Monster began to swing at them, while also connecting to the wall, trying to also bury them in the debris. One of said attacks was dodged by Alejandro and connected to a wall, causing it to crumble. The wall fell down but that wasn't the only thing tumbling down in his mind.

They finally reached the other two Rangers, that is the good news. The bad news however is that they were dealing with a very dangerous situation all on their own, namely Blastaur. Alejandro noticed for a second and that was all it took for the Duke to have an opening to strike him. Connecting a backside slash, the force of it sending the Blue Ranger down and losing consciousness for a second. As he struggled to get up (time to recuperate was a luxury not granted to him at the moment) he still tried to get to where they were. He could notice Blastaur going for the kill shot and in the split second, all he could do was kneel down due to the shell-shock.

NICK! ROMAN! NOOOOOO!

Suddenly the ground shook, it was a tremor not felt before, as if the whole mountain itself would collapse and bury both hero and villain alike. It was a blessing in disguise as it seemed to make Blastaur lose its momentum and gave Nick a chance to take Roman away from the De-Volain general. It was then that after finally standing up and coming to his senses that Alejandro noticed something he would not fathom to see buried in the deeps of the earth.

What in the world is that?...

The villains began to make their retreat as the newly-found Zord charged for an attack, Nick telling Roman to grab onto it.

Her body moved automatically as they fought the De-Volians. She wanted nothing more than to hear them fall under their combined attacks and the rage inside her sang at it. They continued to fight, as the enemy grew smaller and smaller, but she soon realized they were at a severe disadvantage with their night vision and losing the element of surprise. She took a moment to assess the situation, drawing air into her taxed lungs as she bounced lightly on her toes. She shielded her nose and mouth as she wall fell and the dust crowded around them. At the sight of the boys, her eyes narrowed then widened seeing their predicament. She gaped at the Zord, her confusion obvious.

The hell?, her shock was tinted in her voice. She shook her head and moved towards them, getting ready to hop on with them.

On Alejandro’s command they attacked. Kenzie fired off her blaster...aiming at the knees of the raptors of duke raptors. She wanted to end this quickly and regroup with her wayward teammates. Kenzie ducked out of an outstretched duke raptor’s claw. Twirling to the left, she swept their legs out from underneath the duke raptor. As his back hit the ground, Kenzie’s foot came down on his wind pipe, pressing down until she heard the crunch of bone breaking. Kenzie kept track of Alejandro and Elena from her side view as the pummeled through the horde of Dukes and raptors.

The last of both the dukes and raptors were taken care of, but that left another major problem. The main monster itself and Kenzie felt every muscle scream in protest.

“Of course it never ends.” She thought ....she jumped back as the monster lunged towards her. With the advantage of night vision on his side, they’d have to rely on sound to assist them in this battle. The fight progressed with Alejandro, Elena and herself pressing forward, none of them anticipating the wall being hit, and crumbling. Kenzie jumped out of the way, to avoid becoming intimate with the debris.

Pushing forward they reached the other two rangers, and internally Kenzie was excited to see them still standing. Her hand twitched at her side, longing for her drago sword to finish the battle. Her glee cut short when she took notice of the general that never seemed to learn. She bit her lip to keep from smarting off, now wasn’t them time. Her being distracted led to an opening in their flank, allowing a raptor to connect a blow to the professor. She watched as he fell unconscious, and Kenzie fought the urge to morph then and end the general, or attempt to. From the side view she saw Alejandro rising to his feet, but then the next kneeling. Her gaze snapped to the front and she felt her stomach dropped...Nick, Roman where in line of Blastuar kill shot. At the last moment, Nick pushed Roman out of the way and out*of the de-volain’s*general path.

Kenzie blinked up at the new found Zord, unbelieving what stood before her.

“Now , I’ve seen everything.” she muttered and nodded*her*head at Alejandro’s*comment. “We got*cookies?” Kenzie offered weakly, a lame attempt at a joke. She wasn’t a jokester so shoot her. Throughout their adventure to reach Nick and Roman, Kenzie had noticed Elena fighting with an edge that hadn’t been there before. She made a note to bring up to the others when they were done here. Maybe, then again she might just address it with Elena herself.